We’ve talked about the importance of video content from how to get started with video marketing to how to grow your social media impact with video content.
But how can you make sure the video content you’re putting so much work into is being watched?
It’s all about optimization!
There are numerous routes your business can utilize in order to make sure your video content is found and watched online and we’re here to help.
Post on Optimal Platforms
First and foremost, consider where you are posting your video!
Ask yourself, does the platform suit the video’s audience? If so, then it’s a great fit. If not, you should reevaluate your outlets for posting.
Sure, YouTube is great for posting video content, but sometimes short-form videos, for example, perform better on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
Don’t focus on posting on as many outlets as possible as much as posting on the outlets that are going to see the most interaction with your content!
A huge part of having the insight into where to post certain videos is by knowing your different audiences. Check up on your social media and YouTube analytics to see the who, what, where, when, why and how of your audience.
This will help you uncover many of the questions you may have surrounding where exactly a certain video should be posted!
If you are looking for some more guidance when it comes to posting videos on social media, this blog is for you!
Include Keywords in Titles and Descriptions
As you know, keywords are the distinct words that are included in your content, website, descriptions and more that search engines scan for to offer targeted results for people searching on the internet.
Naturally, you want your online content to have the right keywords in order to show up in the right searches and the same goes for your video content!
This is especially true when it comes to crafting a title and description for your video.
When you write these features of your video, make sure you are including words and phrases that people are likely searching for.
For instance, if someone is looking up, “How to install floor tiles,” you want your video title and description to include words and phrases that will match this search.
Pretty straightforward, right?
If you are looking for any additional assistance with finding the right keywords for your video content, resources like those listed below can help!
Customize Your Thumbnail
You probably know those snapshot photos that are displayed on the videos in your YouTube feed. Have you ever been so intrigued by one of these snapshots that you clicked on the video?
Well, they’re called thumbnails and as you can probably tell, they have the ability to draw in video viewers.
Think of it this way, now that you have your written content implemented, your visuals also need to play a factor in drawing in viewership. So, while a good title may populate your video in search results, a great thumbnail will actually encourage someone to click to watch!
The saying urges not to judge a book by its cover but at the end of the day, most people do. So, no matter how great your video content may be, it has to appeal to online searchers visually as well!
While platforms like YouTube offer a generated thumbnail, make sure to opt for a custom made one instead. According to WordStream, “Videos with custom human thumbnails receive a 30 percent higher play rate.”
Check out our YouTube page for example:
Create Accessibility With a Transcript
A notable way to reach more audiences than you would with the average video is by including subtitles!
Think about it, sometimes you want to watch a video, but you may not have the ability to listen to it out loud. In this case, subtitles can be a great way to follow along to a video without listening.
This also applies to hearing-impaired audiences. This is a group of video viewers that you likely could lose if you don’t include closed captions.
Not only does having this on-screen text make videos more accessible to viewers, but it also boosts a video’s SEO value by highlighting keywords!
You can include closed captions and subtitles on your video when you upload a transcript. Get more information about the process of adding this content to your videos when you click here.
Final Thoughts
So, what does your current video content look like in comparison to the tips that we offered in this blog?
Having video content for your social media pages, YouTube channel and more allows your business to share a message with consumers in an engaging way. Trust us, people love video content!
It can all be even more impactful though when you put the time and strategy into optimizing your videos based on the tips we mentioned in this blog.
To learn more about video content, check out the blogs below:
If you want to see some of the videos that RevLocal has to offer from how-tos to podcasts, make sure to visit our YouTube page!